American Liver Foundation
 | |
| Non-Profit | |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases |
| Headquarters |
39 Broadway, Suite 2700 New York, NY 10006 Helpline: 800-GO-LIVER |
Key people |
Rick Smith (President and Chief Executive Officer), Newton Guerin (Chief Operating Officer), Rebecca Frank (Chief Development & Marketing Officer), David Ticker (Chief Financial Officer), Allan W. Wolkoff, MD (Board Chair) |
| Website | www.liverfoundation.org |
The American Liver Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes liver health and disease prevention. The mission of the ALF is to facilitate, advocate and promote education, support and research for the prevention, treatment and cure of liver disease.[1]
ALF History
Although liver disease is among the ten major causes of death in the United States, there was no national voluntary health agency devoted exclusively to combating liver diseases until 1976, when the American Liver Foundation was created by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). This organization of scientists and healthcare professionals was concerned with the rising incidence of liver disease and the lack of awareness among both the general public and the medical community. The mission, the programs and the services provided by American Liver Foundation complement the great work of AASLD.[2]
Currently, the American Liver Foundation has 16 Divisions across the U.S. The American Liver Foundation makes a measurable difference in the fight against liver disease by providing financial support for medical research, education for medical professionals, and advocacy and information for patients and their families, and by creating public awareness campaigns about liver wellness and disease prevention.
ALF Education Programs
The liver may be the largest organ in the body, weighing in at 3½ pounds, but it is neither the most popular nor the best understood. So when a diagnosis of liver disease is made, it can be a frightening and confusing time in the lives of many patients and their families. That's where the American Liver Foundation comes in.[3]
One of the most powerful ways of maintaining liver health and preventing liver disease is education. Many forms of liver disease are preventable, and many more can be cured if detected early. Yet tens of thousands of people in the U.S. are living with liver disease and don’t even know it. That’s why education about liver wellness and disease prevention is at the heart of everything the American Liver Foundation does. The Foundation implements a wide range of educational and preventative efforts.[4]
- Preventing Disease through Education
- Liver Disease Information Center
- Love Your Liver Youth Education Program
ALF Research Awards
The American Liver Foundation, in partnership with the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), is the nation’s largest source of grants for liver disease research after the U.S. government. Since 1979, the Research Awards Program has provided more than $22 million in research funding. Over 700 qualified scientists and physicians have pursued careers in liver disease research and treatment as a result of receiving ALF and AASLD grants early in their careers.[5]
ALF Events
The American Liver Foundation Divisions organize a wide range of fundraising events and educational programs throughout the year and across the country.
Get Involved with ALF
The American Liver Foundation offers a variety of opportunities to get involved.
ALF News
- The American Liver Foundation 2008 Annual Report
- Sugarland, Nominated for 2008 CMT Awards, Names American Liver Foundation Charity of Choice
- Liver Health Today: ALF Welcomes New CEO
- Report: Liver Cancer Deaths Rise 10% in Single Year
- The American Liver Foundation Appoints Rick Smith, a Twenty-Year Veteran of the MS Society, As Chief Executive Officer
References
- ↑ , About American Liver Foundation, accessed September 10, 2009.
- ↑ , American Liver Foundation – Our History, accessed September 10, 2009.
- ↑ , Preventing Disease through Education, accessed September 10, 2009.
- ↑ , Preventing Disease through Education, accessed September 10, 2009.
- ↑ , American Liver Foundation & AASLD Research Awards Program, accessed September 10, 2009.